Key Takeaways
- Utilize harsh lighting creatively for vintage-style photos and visual storytelling, but avoid facing the sun.
- Backlighting can create flattering effects if done correctly with natural or indoor lighting.
- Explore artificial lighting options such as streetlights and neon signs for creative night photography.
You can use lighting for your smartphone photos in numerous creative ways, and this guide will show you a list of your best options. Keep reading to discover the best ways to use soft lighting, artificial lighting, and much more—with real-life examples.
1Harsh Lighting
While I used to avoid photographing in harsh lighting at all times (i.e. around midday), I’ve been looking for ways to get creative during my least favorite conditions—of which this is one. When done correctly, you can use harsh lighting to great effect. For example, it’s handy if you want to capture vintage-style photos on your phone.
Photographing in harsh lighting can also be useful if you have other interesting subjects in your images. You’ll also have fewer problems creating an amazing photo if you focus on improving your visual storytelling.
If you’re going to take photos in these conditions, my top recommendation would be to ensure that you do not face the sun. Doing so will make editing much more difficult, and it’ll also make your subject look less appealing. You may want to consider using different filters on your phone (or camera apps) to diffuse the light slightly if needed.
2Backlighting
Although you should avoid facing light directly when taking pictures in harsh lighting, it can be useful in other circumstances. When done correctly, backlighting can result in some amazing photo effects that flatter your subject. And in other instances, you can use backlighting to create a sense of mystery.
Backlighting is possible with natural lighting; I suggest taking these kinds of photos early in the morning or late at night. If you’re taking photos of people, you can get them to look away from the camera for better results.
You can also use indoor lighting to create a backlight effect, and you’ll often see this in photography studios. You’ll need to be situationally aware to determine when this is an ideal approach and when you should opt for something else.
3Artificial Lighting
Artificial lighting can make a huge impact on your photos, and I really like looking for opportunities to utilize in my night photography. For example, you can try using streetlights, neon signs, and lights from buildings.
You can get really creative with artificial by using subjects, such as people. However, it’s also handy if you simply need to add some extra light to your pictures because there isn’t enough of a natural source. For more inspiration, you may want to consider reading how I get the perfect lighting for my smartphone photos.
4Soft Lighting
One of my all-time favorite lighting scenarios for photography is to capture softer lighting. I’m a huge golden hour fan, but I no longer limit myself to just this time of the day. I’ll happily take photos later in the afternoon and earlier in the morning too; regardless of when I shoot, soft lighting is my favorite by a considerable distance.
Soft lighting isn’t just about photographing at golden hour, though. You can also get soft lighting on overcast days, which is particularly helpful if you’re tired of your pictures looking too harsh on sunny days. If you’re at home, you can also consider turning down the strength of your lights if possible.
5Silhouettes and Shadows
Shadows and silhouettes can be annoying when you don’t want them in your pictures, but if you utilize them appropriately, they can make your images stand out in a whole new way. I recommend looking for shadows from afar; this is particularly helpful in street photography.
One of the most underrated ways to capture shadows in your images is by looking for them in between buildings. You’ll often find these when it’s particularly bright outside, and they can add a unique dimension to your images—especially if those buildings would otherwise look quite bland.
Whether you’re photographing shadows or use artificial lighting, you can capture great results in plenty of lighting situations. Play around with the ones that I’ve mentioned today and see what best suits your photo-taking style.
